Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an illuminated plate for motor vehicles, such as a license plate.
Description of the Related Art
The conventional license plate is integral for vehicle identification and for traffic officials for checking data about automobiles. This type of license plate is easy to monitor during the daytime, but can be rather challenging to view or check during the nighttime. Incandescent lights are used as the conventional license plate lights, but do not provide sufficient intensity of illumination to readily recognize the license plate number at night from a distance, particularly while the vehicle is moving.
Illuminated license plates are known. However, many of them are ineffective in distinctly illuminating the license plates at night from a distance. Further, many of them require significant structural changes and cannot readily be substituted for the conventional license plates. Additionally, many of them require significant manufacturing process changes and cannot readily be manufactured using the present manufacturing system. Currently, the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA)—a State-operated agency—oversees the production of license plates at Folsom. There is no known illuminated license plate which is effective in illuminating the license plate numbers at night from a distance, and which can readily be manufactured and can readily structurally be substituted for the conventional license plates.
Any discussion of problems and solutions in relation to the related art has been included in this disclosure solely for the purposes of providing a context for the present invention, and should not be taken as an admission that any or all of the discussion was known at the time the invention was made.